Chef Brings Gourmet Food to Homeless

They admit their last indulgence to Esquire

(NEWSER) - Sure, fast food gets a bad rap. But even famous chefs cop to eating it, and Esquire has the details. You may notice a certain theme:

• Alton Brown: Chick-Fil-A, last week
• Tyler Florence: In-N-Out double-double burger, the other day

(NEWSER) - Millions of Americans had lost their homes long before subprime crisis plunged the nation into economic peril. Recognizing the plight of the homeless, The Nation offers 10 tips for street survival:

• Try to relieve passersby of their misconceptions without internalizing their cruel remarks. "Let go of your pride—but hold on to your dignity."

NASA seeks team for 4-month simulation in Hawaii

(NEWSER) - NASA is on the lookout for a few good cooks to experience life on Mars. Researchers backed by the space agency are seeking a team of volunteers for a simulation of the journey. Its aim: to determine what to put on the menu for a hypothetical future trip, which would last three years. Participating in the simulation would mean spending four months in a base on a Hawaii lava flow, wearing imitation spacesuits and eating what astronauts currently eat—plus cooking using a selection of durable ingredients. More»

Charlie Trotter plans 'sabbatical' after 25 years

(NEWSER) - A Chicago landmark will soon be history. Legendary chef Charlie Trotter is closing his restaurant in August, after a quarter-century of service. It's not a financial matter: "We’ve always been profitable, that’s for sure," he tells the Sun-Times . But Trotter is ready "to put the flag in the sand" and achieve some non-culinary goals, including travel and a graduate degree in philosophy and political theory. More»

Fritos, Cheetos, and donuts, oh my!

(NEWSER) - Even a world-renowned chef sometimes needs a good old-fashioned cheeseburger. Daily Meal got a number of chefs as well as restaurateurs, food critics, and other VIPs in the food world, to admit to their secret food vices. A sampling:

• Mario Batali: "Three things: Really well-made ice cream; really well-made Mexican food—like chips and salsa; and raw shellfish. I could live for weeks on nothing but oysters."
• Bobby Flay: "A cheeseburger with two slices of American, potato chips, and chipotle ketchup." (Another chef even admitted to loving McDonald's cheeseburgers; a third said he likes burgers "if I'm drunk.")